West Suffolk Swimming Club

WSSC Golden Girls

 West Suffolk SC showed fantastic team spirit during a successful first weekend of competition in the Suffolk County Championships at Ipswich, taking home a magnificent medal haul of 9 gold, 5 silver and 16 bronze. 

 Golden girl Bethan Bottomley stormed to victory in 5 events in the 14/15 years age group and produced yet another national qualification time in the 100m Backstroke. Bethan won the 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 200m individual medley (IM) and 100m fly. Strong performances by Bethan’s team mates in the same age group ensured that West Suffolk dominated the top places with further medals won by Alex Taylor (2^nd 100m backstroke), Nikisha Grant (3^rd place, 200m IM and 100m fly), and Hannah Reeder (3^rd 200m breaststroke).

 Also swimming out of her skin was young Hannah Sparrow, winning a total of 3 golds in the 200m IM, 50m and 100m backstroke, along with a bronze in the 100m IM.  Not to be outdone, older sister Victoria Sparrow ,  who produced some of the most outstanding performances on the first weekend of competition,  was just shy of national qualification in three events (100m , 200m butterfly and 100 m  backstroke) ;  she did however  achieve  2^nd in the 16 years and over 100m fly and 100m backstroke, and 3^rd in the 50m backstroke. In the same age group, Jennifer Titterington won bronze in the 100m fly.

 Gold medal honours in the 12 years age group, went to Molly Reeder who won the gruelling 400m IM in a time of 5.35.32, a whopping 17 seconds inside her previous best time;  Molly also went on to gain five 3^rd place finishes in the 50m and 100m backstroke, 200m IM, and the 100m and 200m butterfly.

 West Suffolk’s boys also enjoyed success, with 9 year old Ollie Trent coming 2^nd in the 50m backstroke and 3^rd in the 50m breastroke.  Older brother Ashley Trent gained silver in the 12 years 50m fly, along with bronzes in the 50m and 100m breastroke, and 200m backstroke.  Chris Titterington took bronze in the 17 years and over 200m backstroke, and Alex Proffitt came 3^rd in the 11 years 100m freestyle.

 The whole squad rose to the occasion, with many personal best performances. Other swimmers finishing in the top eight in their races included Myles Turner, Nella Walters, Casey-Jo Maggs, Eleanor Shields, Annabelle Farrell, Ellie Wright, Georgie Brittain, Tamsin Ransome, Thomas Buckle, Robert Cooper, Danny Proffitt, Tom Sarah, Sean Collier and James Briars.

 The County Championships continue over the next two weekends and the team is looking forward to building on these successes.

 Quote - Alan Bircher - Coach

"It was in all the best collective performance I have seen from the swimmers. Each and everyone pushed hard from the first race, till the last and got the rewards they deserved for the hard work and training they have been putting in"